Automatic centrifugal switch



March 27, 1928. 1,664,362

H. M. HANS AUTOMATIC CENTRIFUGAL SWITCH Filed Aug. 6, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 Juvcuhw lLMHazw March 27', 1928. 1,664,362

H. M. HANS 6 AUTOMATIC CENTRIFUGAL SWITCH Filed Aug. 6, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JZMHana Patented Mar. 27, 1928.

UNITED STATES HENRY M. HANS, OF FORDYCE, NEBRASKA.

AUTOMATIC CENTRIFUGAL SWITCH.

Application filed August 6, 1924. Serial No. 780,549.

An object of the invention is to provide a device which can be easily attached to an automobile engine and its electric starter,

whereby the engine will. be instantly started should it he accidentally stalled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device, which is automatic in operation, simple in construction and easy to install.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same;

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of one form of the invention, showing the governor arms in the position they assume when the engine is running.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 22 of Fig. 1:

Fig. 3 is a similar view on line 33 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. i is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a slightly modified form of the device.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration two forms of the invention are shown, Fig. 1 shows a preferred form, while Fig. 4 shows a slightly modified fori'n.

The numeral 1 indicates a driven shaft suitably mounted in anti-friction bearings 2 and 3 in a housing 4. As shown in the drawings, the casing 4 is provided with an attaching flange 5 for securing the device to the end of a generator 6, but it is to be understood that the device may be attached to any other part of the engine, where power is obtainable, such as the timing gear case or at the end of the cam shaft.

The shaft 1 is provided with a bevel gear 7 in mesh with a similar gear 8 on the shaft 9 of the generator 6, whereby the shaft 1 is rotated in the present illustration.

The casing 1 is made in two flanged sections connected by bolts 10 and having an end 11 at the opposite end from the generator.

A tubular housing 12 is fixed tothe end 11 by a set screw or the like 13, and extends inwardly to meet the driven shaft 1, which is reduced at its end to fit the anti-friction bearing 14; carried in the end of the tubular housing 12.

Mounted on the inner side of the end 11 and properly insulated therefrom is a contact disk 15, which is disposed in the path of and adapted to be contacted with by a second contact disk 16 properly insulated from and rotatable with a movable rotatable head 17 mounted upon the tubular housing 12. The head 17 has secured thereto, for swinging motion, the governor or centrifugal arms 18, carrying weights 19 adapted to swing outwardly when in motion. Supplementary arms 20 are pivoted to the governor arms 18 at 21 and have their opposite ends pivoted to the fixed collar 22 mounted on the shaft 1 and rotatable therewith. A stop collar 23 is secured by any suitable means to the tubular housing 12 and limits the movement of the head 17, when the same is drawn inwardly by the governor arms 18, due to the action of the weights 19 under centrifugal influence.

The inner end of the stationary shaft 12 is enlarged, as shown at 24 and carries the contact band or ring 25 properly insulated therefrom as at 26.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the governor arms are provided with sockets 27 carrying insulated contact pins 28 whose interrupter points 29 are adapted to engage with the contact band 25 at times.

An electrical cable 30 is secured at one end to the contact band 25 as indicated at 31 and at the other end it is electrically connected with an electrical starting motor M of usual type.

A. conductor 32 leads to one pole of a storage battery B, which has a conductor 33 connected to its other pole and to the switch S for completing the circuit through a conductor 34 to the contact disk 15. Insulated wires 35 run from the movable contact disk 16 to the contact pins 28 for completing the circuit thereto.

Referring now to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the bevel gears 7 and 8 are dispensed with and that the shaft 1 is an extension of the generator shaft. It will also be noted that the contact pins 28 are carried by the governor weights 19 thus dispensing with the sockets 27 and at the same time securing the same result. The governor arms 18 and 20 in this form of the device are composed of spring metal and are so formed as to normally cause the weights to be drawn in- Wardly and the interrupter points 29 of the pins 28 brought into contact with the band 25.

The operation of the device is as follows:

When the engine is at rest, and likewise the driven shaft 1, the governor weights are drawn inwardly until the interrupter points 29 of the pins 28 are engaged with the contact band or ring and the head 17 has slid outwardly on the tubular housing 12 to bring its contact disk 16 into engagement with the disk 15 on the end 11. Thedevice is then in its normal position and when the switch S is thrown the following circuit is closed; the battery B, the conductor 83, the switch S, the conductor 34, the contact disk 15, the contact disk 16, the conductors 35, the pins 28, the contact band 25, the cable 30, the starting motor M and the conductor 32 back to the battery B. The starting motor will then operate to start the internal combustion engine, which will cause the rotation of the driven shaft 1 and the governor as is obvious. When sufficient speed has been attained the outward movement of the governor weights 19 will draw the arms 18 and the head 17 inwardly, thus breaking the circuit between the contact disks 15 and 16 and stopping the flow of current to the starting motor M. If, during the operation of the internal combustion engine, it should be accidentally choked or stalled, the various parts will instantly go to normal position; and as the switch S will be left closed during such operation, the device will act automatically to start the engine.

It must be understood that only a preferred form of my invention is herein shown and described and that any departure from the same, such as in shape, size and arrangementof parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or from the spirit or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

An automatic centrifugal switchcompris ing a tubular housing, a movable electric contact head slidable on said housing, arms connected to said head, each arm carrying a centrifugal member having interrupter points, a revoluble shaft in alinement with said housing, a collar fixed to said shaft, arms connecting said collar with said centrifugal members, an electrical cable in said housing, a contact disk on said housing completing a circuit when engaged with said movable head and an insulated ring on said housing adapted to make and break a circuit when engaged with said interrupter points.

HENRY M. HANS. 

